49ers' Brandon Aiyuk Could Return from Knee Injury in Week 6 vs. Bucs, Shanahan Says

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk hasn't played since Oct. 20 because of a significant knee injury that limited him to just seven games last season, but fans might not have to wait too long into the 2025 campaign to see him take the field.

After all, head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Aiyuk could be back for the team's Week 6 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

This is another update for the 49ers at a wide receiver position that has given them plenty of reason for concern this offseason.

Jauan Jennings has dealt with a calf injury, while Ricky Pearsall missed some time with a hamstring issue. What's more, Demarcus Robinson is facing a possible suspension from the NFL after he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor DUI charge in July.

On Friday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported San Francisco placed Equanimeous St. Brown on the season-ending injured reserve list.

But Aiyuk's long-term health as he recovers from a torn ACL and MCL is the most important update given how critical he is to the NFC West team's aerial attack, especially after it traded fellow go-to target Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders.

Aiyuk tallied 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns during the 2023 campaign and looked like one of the best wide receivers in the league in the process. The hope was he could build on that, especially after the 49ers gave him a four-year contract extension ahead of the 2024 season, but injuries prevented him from doing so.

Ideally for the 49ers, he will return sooner rather than later and start living up to the expectations that came with such an extension.

Even missing the first five games means being absent for divisional contests against the Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams, but a Week 6 return would give him plenty of time to impact the NFC playoff race and provide quite a boost for the offense.

It seems like that is the plan at this point of training camp, which would make San Francisco all the more dangerous in the stretch run of the season.